Post-hole auger.



L C. LINDSAY. POST HOLE AUGER. APPLICATION FILED :unes

Patented June 1 3 L Y M 1 Inventor,

Witnesses Attrneys .y

JULIAN C. LINDSAY, 0F FOREST DEPOT, VIRGINIA.

POST-HOLE AUGER Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June i, 1915.

Application filed I une 3, 1914. ,Seria'1No.842,744.

To all whomit may concern Be it known that l, JULIAN C. LINDSAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Forest Depot, in the county of Bedfordand State of Virginimhave invented a new and useful Post-Hole Auger, of which the tollowing iS ay specification.

This invention relates to a post hole auger.

The present invention aims to provide a post hole auger which may be used to drill holes in the ground in a quick and efiicient manner, regardless ofthe characteristics of the soil.

A further object is to provide a post hole j auger including a threaded anchor rod which is iirst driven into the ground. The threaded anchor carries a clutch to which the cutter is detachably secured, and provides the necessary downward force drawing the cutter into the ground, with the clutch moving inthe hole formed by the head of the anchor.

` Another object is to provide a post hole auger in which it is unnecessary to press down upon the cutters during their rotation thus greatly reducing the labor incident to boring a post hole. Also assurance is had that the hole will be drilled in a vertical 'manner or in a direction determined by the direction in which the anchor is driven into ground. Thus an oblique hole may be drilled if it be so desired. the -angularity of which is positively predetermined prior to the drilling procedure.

`With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the com.

binaticn and arrangement of parts and in thedet'ails of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in theprecise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this speciv fication and forming a part thereof, the

Jpreferred embodiment of my invention has been shown.

in said drawings z-Figure 1 is a longitudinal view in section of my improved earth auger, illustrating the same during the actual drilling of the earth.v Fig. 2 is a View of the anchor during the time it is being driven into the earth and prior to the actual drilling operation. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly'in section, of the lower extremity of the tubular standard with the cutter head secured thereto, and the cutting blades removed. Fig. 4 is a sectional view ot the clutch. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the same. Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of the cutter head engaging the clutch, the latter being` threadcdly secured to the anchor rod and with the cutting blades removed. Fig. 7 is a detail view of-one of the cuttingblades. Fig. 8 iS-a detail view in elevation of the anchor head. Fig. 9 is a plan view ofa blank from which the-cutting blades are formed.

Referring to the drawings in Which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the anchor includes a pointed head 9 from which project the arms 1.0. The arms Vprevent the premature withdrawal of the anchor head from the grou-nd and exert the necessary resistance to movement so as to maintain the anchor in its subterranean position. A. threaded anchorrod 11 projects upwardly from the anchor head 9 and around which is adapted to extend the driv ing tube 12 which engages the top surface of the anchor head and provides means whereby the anchor may be driven into the ground.

A clutch 13 is positioned upon the anchor rod 11 and is formed as an internally threaded sleeve 14 of such size as to pass through the hole formed bv the head 9. The upper extremity of the clutch isv provided with the jaws 15 which are adapted to engage and interlock with similarly formed jaws 16 upon the cutter head 17. The sleeve as illustrated in Fig. 5 is split as at 23.' thus allowing the earth and other material to be ejected from the threads during the rotation of the clutch, and preventing .the threads from becoming choked and thus interfering with the proper operation of the device. The slot 23 is of such proportions that it allows the threaded sleeve 14 to be readily withdrawn from the anchor rod by rotating the said sleeve so as to 4engage the portion 11 thereof. The slot 23 is larger than. the portion 11, allowing it to readily pass thereover for the complete removal of the sleeve, thus saving considerable time and trouble.

The cutter head includes a sleeve or collar with the downwardly extending jaws 16 and the outwardly extending flanges 18.` The flanges 18 provide a ledge upon which the cutting blades 19 are positioned and to which they are secured. The flanges 18 are pitched to a slight extent which provides a corresponding pitch for the cutting blades. The cutter head is internally threaded as at 2O and is adapted to receive the lower extremity of the tubuluar standard 21 therein and effect a rigid, and practically permanent union therewith. The cutter head 17 and tubular standard 21 are retained in a .connected condition during the useful life of the parts, but at the same time the said engagement allows-for the renewal or` replacement of either part. The tubular standard is of such size as to receive 'the rod 11 therethrough and thus allows the cutter head, through the instrumentality of the clutch 13,to be driven down upon the anchor rod. The tubular standard 2l is provided with the hand wheel Q2 at its upper eX- tremity, whereby it may be forcibly rotated.

rl`he driving tube 12 extends over they threaded rod and protects the same during such time as the anchor is being driven into the ground. It also provides means for receiving and transmitting the force from a driving mallet to the pointed anchor head 9,

thus driving the same into the ground to the required depth. The driving tube is then withdrawn and the clutch 13 -positioned upon the anchor rod 11. The driving tube may also be used as a lever adapted to engage the wheel 22 to forcibly rotate the same, should the conditions so warrant.. The tubular standard with the cutter head, is then moved over the threaded rod until such time as it engages the clutch. The cutter head is now forcibly rotated by manually turning the wheel 22. The interlocking action between the jaws of the cutter head and clutch provides that the clutch will be rotated a corresponding amount and that it will draw the cutting blades around in the earth as the clutch is moved longitudinally of the anchor rod. Thus it is not necessary `to exert a downward force upon the tubular standard. as the same is taken care of in the manner above described. The pitch of the cutting blades corresponds to the pitch of the threads of the anchor rod. Thus the cutting blades will be fed into earth the cor` rect amount agreeing with their pitch. 'The downward pull exerted upon the cutter head will produce a reactive or upward stress upon the anchor head which is taken up bv the arms 10. lVhen the cutter head has been driveninto the ground to a certain depth.v it is given a slight reverse rotation, disengaging it from the clutch and allowing it to be I withdrawn to thus withdraw the earth positioned thereabove. In this manner a hole may be cut to any depth and with absolute accuracy with regard to the direction of the hole. The hole formed by the present auger will be free from drifts, so common with the "ordinary form of auger, due largely to the ent device resides in the Jfact that the anchor head 9 when withdrawn from the ground after the post hole has been completely drilled, leaves a centrally disposed downwardly extending depression in which the water and moisture is adapted to c0llect,thus preventing the premature rotting or decay- .ing of the post. g

The fact that it is not necessary to exert a downward force upon the hand wheel, pro- Vides that it may be more conveniently and efficiently rotated and that the labor involved in drilling a hole will be materially lessened. The positive manner in which the v cutter head is fed into the soil also prevents a choking of the blades, such as is often the case when a post hole anger is driven into the ground and attempt is made to force the same. A

llavincr thus fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An apparatus of the class described, comprising an anchor including a pointed head. flexible arms carried thereby and holding the anchor against accidental displacement, a threaded rod carried by said head, and a protectingr and driving tube extending over said threaded rod and resting upon the top surface of said head adapted to transmit a force thereto and to protect said tlneaded rod.

2. An apparatus of the class described, comprising an anchor with a threaded rod, a clutch threadedly engaging the same, and a cutter including outstanding blades adapted toengage said clutch, to rotate the same by a rotation in one direction, and to disengage the same by a limited rotation in the opposite direction.

3. A hole drilling apparatus, comprising an aneior with a threaded rod, a clutch threiuledly engaging the same and including upstanding jaws, a cutter head with downwardly extending jaws adapted to interlock and rotate in one direction, with the jaws of the clutch, and adapted to be disengaged therefrom when rotated in the opposite direction, and means engaging the cutter head for the forcible rotation-thereof.

4. A hole drilling apparatus, comprising an anchor with a threaded rod, a split sleevelike clutch -threadedly engaging the same and includin upstanding jaws, cutter head with downwardly extending jaws adapted to interlock and rotate in one direction, with the jaws of the clutch, and adapted to be disengaged therefrom when rotated `JULIAN C. LINDSAY.

Witnesses:

D. E. DAVIS, GEO. D. LINDSAY. 

